First Week Back

For most people this has been a first week back of some sort: back to work, back to normal routine, back to keeping those promises to yourself of eating more healthily or getting fit. First weeks back are strange things I find: The first days feel like such a big thing and so much effort, but then over that first week all that fades quietly away. Leaving you with the feeling that you’ve been back for a month already, if you ever even really left.

Amaryllis Flowering before Christmas.

Now before I get on to the ‘looking ahead’ part of this, I’d just like to take a moment to remember that already distant time. . . Christmas. Because for me, this year was something special and I’ll tell you why. Christmas day was quiet, presents followed by dinner, and afterwards playing games. Boxing Day was more lively, with people dropping in and a few staying for meals. Both good days, but here’s the big thing for me: I was well for both of them, and the days before and after. That’s the first time I’ve been healthy for Christmas in I literally can’t remember how long! Since early teens maybe, or more likely even before that. I always have a cold/am recovering from something/just getting something at this time of year. And I didn’t!

Oh, and to add that something extra, I got the cupboards finished in time! Sort of like the day before, but still. It was interesting because people almost didn’t notice them – a bit disheartening until I found out they thought they’d been there all the time, and then were surprised I’d made them without someone hovering over me giving detailed step-by-step instruction. Didn’t realise I’d made all the doors too. It was kind of awesome! And although there are things about them that I’m not entirely happy with (Sorry, but I’m a picky perfectionist and that’s all there is too it!) overall I’m pretty pleased with how they turned out. And surprised at how not insanely difficult it was. So much so that I wouldn’t say no to doing more of that sort of thing.

On to writing. My determination to catch up on editing has sort of gone out the window. What with Christmas, and other deadlines. . . I got some done, but I’ve sort of switched back to writing again. Because of deadlines. And because it goes more quickly. And is easier. And honestly it’s so much more fun! I know both are necessary, and both have an end satisfaction. But. . .

I’m still entering competitions too, which I know I said I’d maybe stop, and I have cut down on, but they entice me back again! No point doing what you don’t enjoy right?

Except I have editing piling— piled up, I keep getting new deadlines because I go looking for them, and once they’re there. . . And ideas for pieces I want to write are waiting, and if I wait too long they sort of, loose their edge/urgency/initial burst of ‘oh that’s great I want to get that down and then it goes—’. Can you tell I love writing?

Tomatoes picked Christmas Eve.

As for the garden, since lifting and packing the dahlia’s, that’s pretty much been it. Although having said that, I picked a tomato on Christmas day! And in the greenhouse I have lettuce, carrots, spring onion. . . A nice little salad crop if they ever grow big enough! Mind you the, weather’s been so mild to this point – I can say that because they’ve already said it’s about to get a lot colder. It’s got the plants all mixed up, I can tell you! Fuchsias are sprouting, daffodils flowering at the same time as roses, pinks, Daphne Odora, Prunus Autumnalis. . . (For those that don’t know, all these normally flower at different times.)

Below are a few mementos – Flowers, presents given and received, tasty things to eat:

So now I guess it’s on to the future, except while I was creating this post I started wondering: I’ve been doing this six months or so now, and I still have little idea what I’m doing, or to be perfectly honest, why I’m doing it. What’s the point, and does there have to be one? I even wondered if I was turning into one of those people who announce random tiny details of their lives and expect people to be fascinated. Except I don’t expect anything back from this. I hope some people read it, find it interesting or helpful somehow. I hope in the future I can look back on all I’ve done and see. . . something. How I’ve changed perhaps, or even just have a record of some things I’ve done. So, for now at least, that’s what this is. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now lets bring on the new year, and see if we can’t get something going on!